ABSTRACT
The cosmopolitan mite family Laelapidae includes both free-living predatory species and species associated with arthropods, mammals or birds. This work presents a list of free-living and arthropod-associated species of laelapids, with corresponding taxonomic information and references. It includes 1088 species (in addition to three subspecies) assigned to 73 genera, 61 new combinations and two new synonymies at the generic level. Laelaps (Apolaelaps) Silvestri is raised to the generic level. Many of the species described before about 1950 are poorly characterised and cannot be classified with confidence at the family or generic level. Hence, ten genera, one subgenus, 121 species (ca. 70% of which were reported as Hypoaspis Canestrini or Laelaps (Hypoaspis) Canestrini) and one subspecies, are considered incertae sedis, because of their inadequate morphological characterisation in the literature. Some of these may not even belong to the Laelapidae or to the groups of interest for this publication. A total of 89 species, 30 genera, one subgenus, one tribe and one subfamily previously associated with genera treated in this catalogue are now placed in other families or, less commonly, in laelapid genera not considered here because they are considered essentially vertebrate parasites (taxa excluded). Twenty-six other species (one cited as a "variety") are cited as nomina nuda. An illustrated key to the 73 genera included in the catalogue along with revised generic diagnoses are provided.
Subject(s)
Arthropods , Ctenophora , Mites , Animals , MammalsABSTRACT
Larvae of Sciaridae flies (Diptera) cause considerable damage to the mushroom Agaricus blazei (Murrill) ss. Heinemann in Brazil. Brazilian growers have had considerable difficulties in controlling this pest. The objective of this work was to test the effect of the predatory Laelapidae mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Womersley) as a control agent of Bradysia matogrossensis (Lane) in cultures of A. blazei. The work corresponded to an evaluation of the efficiency of that predator when released in boxes containing each about 15 L of commercial mushroom compost naturally infested with the pest. The results showed a significant effect of that predator on the population of B. matogrossensis. The release of either 665 or 1330 S. scimitus per box significantly reduced the pest population to levels that, according to grower's experience, apparently could not cause considerable damage. The positive results obtained warrant the conduction of complementary studies to determine the lowest rates of the predator that could still produce acceptable levels of control.
